In yesterday’s DM, we looked at some of the factors involved in this year’s midterm elections…prominent among them the far-right forces influencing the Supreme Court led by Justice John Roberts, on whose watch the Voting Rights Act was demolished twice.
Also on the watch of Chief justice Roberts has been the ripping away of a 49-year-old right of women to make their own decisions about what to do with their bodies.
Judge Alito’s embarrassing document puts an end to Roe v Wade while invoking two 17th century British jurists who accomplished the burning of witches—no irony there?—to accomplish his task.
The result is that we now witness states enacting laws that forbid women to travel to other states; demand that 10-year olds and others who are raped carry their fetus to term; lock physicians in jail for giving patients the care they request; threaten the lives of women who are going through dangerous pregnancies, etc. etc.
And why? Because theocracy trumps separation of church and state in the church of Donald J. Trump, so amply represented on the current unsupreme court, three of whom he personally appointed.
And because Patriarchy comes first. Doesn’t everyone know that men have a god-given right to control over women’s bodies? (Even if—and especially if–they are very creepy politician men or clergy men or police men or lawyer men or chief justice men).
I cringe just a bit when I think of Judge Alito declaring he has a right to tell women what to do with their bodies and then flying off to Rome to give a talk to far-right Catholics praising himself and running a victory lap for his deeds.
…Which deeds are called “pro-life” but in fact are already resulting in killing women and mothers. (And, for the record, Mr. Alito, 68% of Catholics in the US favor keeping Roe v Wade.)
Not Opus Dei Catholics however. They are committed to fascism up and down the line, and fascism always includes control over women and their bodies.
We know that all six members of the Supreme Court who voted to rip away a 49-year-old right of women are on the Court because of Leonardo Leo, an out-of-the-closet Opus Dei operative in the Federalist Society who in the past year was given $1.6 billion dollars to carry on still more “government of, by, and for” corporations and against Mother Earth.
The grantor of such largesse is billionaire Barre Seid, who opposed the ban of DDT and funded activists and researchers who opposed the ban, and who believes that global warming is not the result of human-caused emissions.
How is it possible that people like Seid and Leo can team up to kill both democracy and Mother Earth?
All this was assured by Justice Robert’s court which gifted us with Citizens United that guarantees that dark money rules American politics because “corporations are people” (sic) and the Constitution tells us so (even though the word “corporation” does not appear in the Constitution).
Therefore elections should go to those who have access to the most money and especially when it remains anonymous (“dark”). Government of, by and for the people be damned.
To be continued
See Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ.
And Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth.
And Fox, A Spirituality Named Compassion.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “An explicitly Christian variant of the Stars and Stripes.” From “One Nation Under God: The Crusade to Capture the American Flag” by Whitney Smith PhD LFIAV FFIAV FFI, Secretary-General Emeritus, FIAV, on FlagInstitute.org.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you see a link between Barre Seid’s love for DDT and denial of climate change being due to humans and his support of Opus Dei member and Federalist Society’s Leonardo Leo? In what way are they on the ballot in November?
Recommended Reading
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
“This book is a classic.” Thomas Berry, author of The Great Work and The Dream of the Earth.
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth
Fox’s spirituality weds the healing and liberation found in North American Creation Spirituality and in South American Liberation Theology. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of every religious and political persuasion to unite in a new vision through which we learn to honor the earth and the people who inhabit it as the gift of a good and just Creator.
“A watershed theological work that offers a common ground for religious seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice.
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox delivers a profound exploration of the meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our deepest consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register
8 thoughts on “The Meaning of the Mid-Term Elections, part II”
Matthew, Today you remind us of the far-right forces influencing the Supreme Court led by Justice John Roberts, on whose watch the Voting Rights Act was demolished twice. And Judge Alito’s embarrassing document puts an end to Roe v Wade–the result is that states are enacting laws that forbid women to travel to other states for abortions. They also lock physicians in jail for giving patients the care they request, and threaten the lives of women who are going through dangerous pregnancies. You ask why? Then you say it is because, “theocracy trumps separation of church and state,” and Donald J. Trump, personally appointed three of them. We know that all six members of the Supreme Court who voted to do away with Roe vs. Wade are on the Court because of Leonardo Leo, an out-of-the-closet Opus Dei operative in the Federalist Society who was given $1.6 billion dollars to carry on still more “government of, by, and for” corporations and against Mother Earth.
As a matter of fact, the grantor of such money is billionaire Barre Seid, who opposed the ban of DDT, and who believes that global warming does not have a human cause. So, there is a link between Seid and his denial of climate change being due to humans, and his support of Opus Dei member, and Federalist Society’s Leonardo Leo? With all of this in mind, we will have to be very discerning as we vote this time !!!
As a result of today’s DM, I took a moment to read about the definition, meaning and history of Theocracy. Having done so, I now see how the underground movement of Theocracy is unfolding, evolving and truly beginning to emerge within the political and judicial institutional systems within the United States; through the powerfully influential leadership of Opus Dei and its dark money contributors. Most people I sense are not consciously aware of what’s really at stake, and are naively uneducated about what could potentially and dangerously take root within the current electorial process. The truth-telling prophetic voices of those like Mathew Fox and many courageous others, well versed in the definition, meaning and history of Theocracy, the connections to Opus Dei, it’s dark money contributors and this powerful underground movement; aught to be taken seriously, as well as be deeply considered during the discernment of one’s personal vote in the up and coming elections. Thank you Mathew, for the very important work that you and many others are doing in this ongoing battle between Theocracy and Democracy. Thank you for shedding light into the hidden darkness of Theocracy secretly underfoot, that is potentially and dangerously attempting to powerfully unfold, evolve, emerge and root itself more deeply within the United States; through subliminally, negatively and unconsciously influencing the hearts, minds, and souls of the American people.
“ Have dominion “ from Genesis comes to mind in reading todays reflection. Some have decided that means exploit the planet in whatever way possible to make more money. More money means more power and influence and more dominion. From our earliest times, many interpret Genesis also to mean that men have a God given right to have dominion over women. You can’t fail if God is on your side! We are now reaping the tragedy of these ideas regularly preached from the pulpit for centuries. It continues today!! And we see it in the ballot box in November. It is all connected .
Matthew,
Thank you for these meditations on our democracy. I have a question about dark money and grass roots money. As a grass roots giver I have almost stopped giving money to any candidate. How are we ever going to stop money being the strongest voice in elections if we continue to send money? The request for money for candidates come by the hundreds via emails. And the requests will sound desperate like my donation is the last chance for taking control of the senate.
Our whole system is broken. Is not sending grass root money to candidates taking a stand or being unrealistic? I wrestle with this.
Emily, You write, “Our whole system is broken. Is not sending grass root money to candidates taking a stand or being unrealistic? I wrestle with this.” We live in a Capitalistic society, therefore its all about money and gain. They used to say that anyone could be the President in America–in “the land of opportunity.” I feel there are some real draw backs to letting someone with no experience run our country, that is, so long as they have the money to run. Many good candidates have to back out in the running because they run out of money. Cursed this damn money that controls everything that happens in our country!
I speak out against tyranny and evil whenever and wherever the opportunity arises, but mostly I surrender all in groans from the depth of my soul…
LORD have mercy indeed.
The toxic, unbalanced, and destructive values and actions of patriarchy the past 5000 years are alive and thriving in our modern world industrial societies and institutions, including religious institutions, capitalist political societies, and Western secular/materialistic/egocentric/racist ‘civilization.’ Is it any wonder that our history of devaluing and destroying to the present day the lives of Mother Nature/Earth, especially women, Indigenous peoples, and people of color of color, has caused continued suffering, violence, social inequities, and the destruction and death of much of our Sacred Living Mother Nature/Earth, the source of All living things, including jeopardizing the survival of our own human species. I don’t think that most of our patriarchal Western society members realize that our healthy earth environment, necessary for our Living, depends on a heathy earth where our food grows, and healthy water and air that all Life needs to drink and breathe. We’re All a Sacred part of the interconnected and interdependent web of Life on earth and in the Cosmos. May our Creator’s Spirit of Love~Life~Wisdom~Truth~Peace~Justice~Mercy~Healing~Strength~Creativity~Transformation~Compassion… continue growing in our human hearts/minds and our eternally evolving souls with-in God’s co-Creation~Evolution and Loving Diverse Oneness….
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Amen, these people also do not speak for me and my faith or my Jesus. Mary wept/is weeping I find them all blasphemes.